We are a family of bibliophiles. My and my husband’s night tables are toppling over with piles and piles of books. We are currently building bookshelves in our living room and kitchen to store and display the ever growing collection of books in our care.
Our eldest son is an avid reader like his parents. Anything that I put in front of him he devours in a matter of hours. He loves C.S.Lewis, Tolkien, and Kipling. Every year he joins the Battle of the Books in our homeschooling group and always wins the award for reading the entire book list.
My second son, who is currently 9, is a different story. He is still super happy to read the big picture board books which his younger siblings read. Getting him to read the books from his literature course is quite the struggle. Earlier this year he confessed to me that “I don’t do chapter books, Mom.” Oh dear.
What does capture his attention, though, are comic books and graphic novels. This is pretty common in boys, right? He will read Pokemon and Yu-gi-oh comic books forever and ever. While I suppose that is fine, I do want him to read books with a little bit more substance. We are slowly building a collection of good, wholesome comics and graphic novels which I’m sharing with you. If you have a son who is a reluctant reader, I hope this list is helpful to you!
The Action Bible by David C. Cook. An absolute favorite! This children’s Bible is very well done; it captures the interest and heart of any young boy reading it. I have to admit that the Bible has endless exciting stories which lend themselves well to graphic storytelling. My son has been reading his Action Bible every night for a number of years. He’s now my go-to guy for any questions related to biblical events. Suggested ages 7+.
The Adventures of Loupio Series, by Jean-François Kieffer. This delightful series are translated from the original French, and tell the tales of a young boy named Loupio. Together with his sidekick Brother Wolf and St. Francis of Assisi, he embarks on a number of exciting adventures. The beautiful illustrations are true to the spirit of the 13th century setting, and the stories are funny, action-packed and wholesome. Titles include The Encounter and Other Stories , The Hunter and Other Stories , The Tournament , and The Inn and Other Stories. Suggested ages 6+.
The Illustrated Jesus Stories for Children, by Jean-François Kieffer and Christine Ponsard. These books have been my salvation during many, many Sundays! These brightly illustrated stories, based on the four Gospels, have kept my little kids quietly entertained during many Mass services. Our own copies are now held together by several iterations of tape, which is a clear sign of well-loved books. Titles include The Illustrated Gospel for Children, The Illustrated Parables of Jesus, The Illustrated Miracles of Jesus, and The Illustrated Acts of the Apostles. Suggested ages 4+.
Meanwhile… by Jules Feiffer. A parody on the comic book genre, this witty story is sure to delight young and old. It’s currently a favorite of my 5 year old son, and it’s super fun to read out loud. Which is great for me, because I’m asked to read it all. the. time. I have a sister-in-law who has an amazing gift to picking the best books for my kids, and this is one of them. Suggested ages 5+.
The Complete Calvin and Hobbes by Bill Watterson. Hmm….I’m not entirely sure this is wholesome reading. But my husband loved Calvin & Hobbes as a child and he turned out OK. We gave this to our son when he turned 7 and he has since read them each volume countless of times. He even has post-it notes all over the books to mark his favorite storylines. One time we were stuck in an ill-fated train ride for hours, and thankfully said son had brought a few volumes with him. I spent three hours reading them and I was amazed at how well the author understood the psychology of boys. A warning that C&H may increase the degree of obnoxiousness in your home – but the witty kind. Suggested ages 8+.
Tintin in the Cigars of the Pharaoh by Hergé. Tintin is a classic in the comic book genre. This is just one book from the Adventures for Tintin graphic novels, translated from the original French. My boys vouch that Tintin is funny and fun, which is high praise coming from them. I personally love the old-style illustrations and experiencing all the diverse worlds Tintin finds himself in. We also own Tintin and The Secret of the Unicorn and look forward to owning many more. Suggested ages 9+.
Yvain: The Knight of the Lion by M.T. Anderson and Andrea Offermann. I’m a big fan of the Arthurian legends, so I was very excited when my aforementioned sister-in-law gifted this book to my second son. Based on the lesser known 12th century tale of Sir Yvain by Chretien de Troyes, this interpretation has all the elements of a hearty medieval tale: knights, ladies, quests, glory, loss, love, vengeance, honor. I would recommend this novel as a supplement to a unit study on Arthurian legends, as the themes can be complex and not easily understood on their own. The illustrations don’t shy away from depicting the horrors of the battlefield, so I suggest this novel for ages 13+.
Jr. Graphic Myths: Greek Heroes by various authors. These short comic books are an excellent introduction to Greek mythology, which is another love of mine. Each book includes a description of the characters, historical background, a map, and a glossary of terms. They are engaging companions to a unit study on Ancient Greece. Titles in the series include Achilles and the Trojan War, Jason and the Golden Fleece, The Labors of Heracles, Perseus and Medusa, Theseus and the Minotaur, and The Voyage of Odysseus. Suggested ages 8+.
Zeus: King of the Gods by George O’Connor. For older readers, this novel is the first in the author’s Olympians series and starts right at the beginning of the universe. It is a vivid introduction to the Greek myths, though some illustrations are too gruesome for me. Then again, the Greek legends are no Disney fairy tales. The novel contains a handy family tree of the Greek gods, as well as additional resources for further reading at the back. Also in this series: Athena, Hera, Hades, Poseidon, Aphrodite, Ares, Hephaistos, Hermes, Artemis, Apollo, and Poseidon. Suggested ages 12+.
If you have any suggestions to add to our sons’ library, please do share!
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